Archive for Katie Paradis
New year, new face, same spirit: Zoey’s journey with encephalocele and cleft lip care
Seven-year-old Zoey loves school, her friends, and everything unicorn. She’s outgoing and happy and has an eye for looking her best. “She loves getting her nails done,” says her mother, Shana. “She’s straight diva.” Talking with Zoey and her mom, you can’t help but be inspired by their positive spirit, care toward others, and general ... Read More
New Year’s resolutions and kids: what to know
With a new year upon us, we’re once again bombarded with messages about getting healthier, skinnier, and more disciplined come January 1. We couldn’t help but wonder what this means for kids, so we turned to Andrew Richards, a psychologist with Boston Children’s Martha Eliot Center, for answers. Are New Year’s resolutions a good idea ... Read More
Weathering the storm of Apert syndrome: João’s story
After a “perfect” pregnancy in 2017, Natalia and Igor of Brazil were excited to meet their third child. They were shocked when João was whisked away moments after delivery. “Up until the day before he was born, everything seemed very normal,” says Natalia. “But once he arrived, we could see immediately that something was wrong: ... Read More
‘Mom, my brain feels better.’ One mother’s story of her daughter’s fight with epilepsy
Liliane has a lot to be grateful for this holiday season. Until just this year, her 16-year-old daughter Emily, who has epilepsy, suffered relentless seizures that left her temporarily unable to speak or stand. The seizures began when Emily was 4, and living her life around them was all she knew. But today, Emily is ... Read More
The art of showing up: Six ways to support a friend who has a child in the hospital
“Let me know if there’s anything I can do.” Nine little words spoken with the best of intentions but aren’t necessarily all that helpful for someone faced with having a child in the hospital. But why? “People really want to do good things,” says Annie Banks, a social worker with the Hale Family Center for ... Read More
‘To do what’s best for Marley’: One family’s experience with a vein of Galen malformation
Last summer, Savannah and Brian were eagerly awaiting the birth of their first child. Savannah was scheduled to deliver their daughter Marley in late September, and they couldn’t wait to hold her, feed her, dress her up, and relish in the new-baby joy. But the Georgia couple soon learned that parenthood tends to throw plans ... Read More
Talking with – not at – young people about substance use
Teens and young adults using drugs and alcohol is not new. Neither is the challenge of speaking with them about the dangers and implications. However, what is changing are the substances young people are using and the ways they’re exposed to them. We’re also learning more about how drugs, alcohol, and nicotine affect growing bodies ... Read More
Remember these seven things before bringing your newborn home from the hospital
Congratulations, you just had a baby! Now what? Whether it’s your first, second, or eighth child, the initial weeks of life with a newborn can be a sleep-deprived blur. Hopefully, your first few days postpartum come with the support of knowledgeable, compassionate nurses and hospital staff. So before being discharged home with your bundle of ... Read More
Sonny’s story: How an online Apert syndrome community set one family on a path to Boston
Sonny Daniel has had a busy summer. Between traveling, camp, and time with family and friends, this 4-year-old has constantly been on the go — something his parents, Kellie and Josh, are incredibly grateful for. Their gratitude stems a lot from seeing how far Sonny’s come in his journey with Apert syndrome, a genetic disorder that ... Read More
Why families need routines (even in the summer)
They say you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. Maybe no one has realized this more over the last few years than children and young people who lost all semblance of normalcy with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even if the benefits of their day-to-day routines were more subliminal in the “before ... Read More